I'm Off Then: Losing and Finding Myself on the Camino de Santiago
Hape Kerkeling was born in Recklinghausen in 1964. He has won numerous awards as a comedian, singer, actor, presenter, and bestselling author. Both of his autobiographical books "Ich bin dann mal weg" and "Der Junge muss an die frische Luft" moved millions of readers and were successfully filmed. Hape Kerkeling lives in Bonn and Italy.
"Ich bin dann mal weg" was published in 2006 and has sold more than four million times and is considered one of the most successful German non-fiction books. It is one of my all-time favorites and has moved me immensely and even inspired me to also walk the Camino Santiago. Although my experience was very different than his it was equally important and life-changing. Therefore, I was very excited when I saw that it had been translated.
It's a sunny June morning when Hape Kerkeling finally conquers his couch-potato-ness and sets off from St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Six weeks lie ahead of him, alone with himself and his eleven-kilo backpack. He marches over the snow-covered peaks of the Pyrenees, through the Basque Country, Navarre, and Rioja to Galicia to the tomb of St. James - a destination for believers from all over the world for over a thousand years. After 35 days he reaches his destination exhausted - quite purified and at peace with himself.
With charm and an eye for the extraordinary, Hape explores foreign regions, gets to know the locals as well as pilgrims and their rituals. He experiences loneliness, silence, exhaustion, and doubt, but also helpfulness, friendships, and rewards - and a very special closeness to God.
I recommend reading it in German for people with fluency levels B2 or higher. Mr. Kerkeling is a comedian and this is a travel report. Therefore, you will find many jokes, colloquialisms, and wide vocabulary in this book, which makes it challenging (but worthwhile) to read. If you don't have a B2 level yet, I recommend getting the German and English versions to help you understand everything properly. Keep in mind though, that humor doesn't translate 1 to 1! The movie is a good watch too.
If you would like to participate in the Book Club post the answers to the questions (and all other comments) in the comments and hopefully we will have a fruitful discussion.
Questions:
Did you find the book interesting and why did you like it or didn't like it?
Do you think you recognized something specific "German?"
Did you learn something new about German humor and if so what?
What was your favorite "Erkenntnis des Tages" and why?
If you are familiar with Hape as Comedian were you surprised by the way he writes and why?
What was your favorite idiom, joke, or colloquialism?
Did this book inspire you to walk the Camino Santiago yourself or have you walked it before?
Was there anything about the book or writing that stood out to you?
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